Former soldiers have been warned by the veterans minister to stay away from London on Armistice Day to avoid clashes with pro-Palestinian protesters.
Johnny Mercer, the minister for veterans’ affairs, said it was right that demonstrations should go ahead at the weekend, pointing out that former soldiers such as himself had “put on the uniform” in order to uphold “our fellow citizens’ right to protest”.
His stance puts him at odds with Suella Braverman, the Home Secretary, who has described Saturday’s planned demonstration as a “hate march”.
The Cabinet has been split over Mrs Braverman’s approach, with one Cabinet minister privately alarmed by her comments, which they described as “ridiculous” and blamed her for creating “this problem”.
Separately, Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, declined to call Saturday’s demonstration a “hate” march when asked on Radio 4’s Today programme if he agreed with the Home Secretary’s assessment.
Mr Mercer, a former Army captain who served in Afghanistan, said he had spent the past few days trying to dissuade veterans groups from organising counter-protests on Saturday that could lead to clashes with pro-Palestinian marchers.
But in his letter to Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Mr Mercer also demanded greater protection for elderly veterans travelling to the capital for Remembrance events.
He said such protection was particularly needed at railway stations after a series of sit-in protests at mainline terminals.
A 78-year-old poppy seller at Waverley Station in Edinburgh said he was punched and kicked after being surrounded by protesters, while a stall at Charing Cross station in central London was also besieged at the weekend.
Scotland Yard has pleaded with the leaders of the pro-Palestinian march on Armistice Day to call it off amid growing fears of violent disorder.
In the letter, seen by The Telegraph on Tuesday, Mr Mercer said he had been trying to dampen tensions. He told Sir Mark: “I wanted to write to offer you some encouragement as you deal with a very difficult policing challenge over this Remembrance weekend.
“I have spent this last weekend dissuading various veterans groups from organising marches or protests this Saturday. Remembrance is not a political event, and neither is it a protest. It is our one moment a year when the nation – of all our brilliantly diverse persuasions and colours – comes together to remember our war dead.
“I, like most veterans, feel passionately about our fellow citizens’ right to protest and the freedoms of speech and expression that we once put on the uniform to uphold.”
Mr Mercer said he was concerned that their right to protest was “conflicted with the deliberately antagonistic actions of a few, who misunderstand Remembrance and seek to put off those who are taking part or attending events in London”.
But he stressed that elderly veterans “for whom travelling to London once a year is an important part of their Remembrance” needed to be able to travel to the capital “unmolested”.
He requested that the Met “make full use of the powers at their disposal to ensure that these concerns do not materialise”.
Around 70,000 people are expected in London for the pro-Palestinian demonstration. Groups have warned that anti-Semitic chants by some protesters and others who appear to have glorified terrorist atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel on Oct 7 have made large parts of London a “no go zone” for Jews.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiamh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDIzLzExLzA3L3Byby1wYWxlc3Rpbmlhbi1wcm90ZXN0cy1qb2hubnktbWVyY2VyLXZldGVyYW5zLWFybWlzdGljZS_SAQA?oc=5
2023-11-07 15:10:00Z
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